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Iraq goal same but Bush open to tweaking course

Sun Nov 12, 2006 11:54am ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States is ready to make "course adjustments" in Iraq, and will reach out to both parties in Congress, but it has not changed its overarching goal of democracy and stability, the White House said on Sunday.

"The president has always been interested in tactical adjustments, but the ultimate goal is the same, which is success in Iraq," White House Chief of Staff Joshua Bolten told CNN's Wolf Blitzer.

Bush has "always been ready to make course adjustments. Nobody can be happy with the situation in Iraq right now. ... It's clearly time to put fresh eyes on the problem," he said.

Robert Gates, Bush's pick to replace Donald Rumsfeld heading the Pentagon, will provide that perspective, Bolten said.

Days after Democrats took control of Congress in midterm elections, the increasingly unpopular leader faces a radically different political landscape.

Bolten said the Bush administration was looking forward to recommendations from the Iraq Study Group and from top general Peter Pace.

Bolten was cool to the idea of dividing a more and more fractious Iraq into separately governed areas, but said some degree of federal power-sharing could be helpful.

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Bolten added, would continue to be a source of tension in Iraq and throughout the Middle East. But the Bush administration would not put forward any new peace initiatives until the time was right, he said.

Bolten also said the administration was still hoping to overcome Democratic opposition to United Nations envoy John Bolton. Some lawmakers were reconsidering their opposition to him, and the White House hoped Congress would confirm him before his temporary appointment expired, said Bolten.

"We're going to be making the case to the members," he said.

http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=domesticNews&storyid=2006-11-12T165427Z_01_N20203713_RTRUKOC_0_US-IRAQ-USA-1.xml

Hague issues warning over Iraq

Nov 12 2006

Hopes of involving Iran and Syria in developing a new policy for ending the violence in Iraq could prove "naive", shadow foreign secretary William Hague warned.

The option of opening talks with the neighbouring states is expected to be discussed by Prime Minister Tony Blair when he gives evidence to a US inquiry on Tuesday.

It is one of two options believed to be under consideration by the Iraq Survey Group being led by former US Secretary of State James Baker.

Mr Hague welcomed the Prime Minister's engagement with the panel, stressing the need for "heavy British involvement" in the reassessment of current thinking. But warned that the involvement of "axis of evil" states was not a short-term option at a time when Iraq was "tipping in the wrong direction".

"There should be a reassessment going on because Iraq at the moment, which could still tip either way, is tipping in the wrong direction," he told BBC1's Politics Show. "It is very important that there is heavy British involvement in that reassessment, that it is not just an American process."

He added "I think we have to make the most of our friendships and build on our friendships with the moderate Arab nations of the Middle East. Syria and Iran are a more difficult proposition. Of course it would be excellent if they cold be involved at some stage in the future in guaranteeing what happens in Iraq. It may naive to think that that could happen in the coming weeks and months."

Mr Blair will talk via video link to the Iraq Study Group a day after President George Bush holds discussions with the bi-partisan panel. The war has been blamed as a key factor in the self-confessed "thumping" Mr Bush's Republicans took in this week's mid-term elections.

The resignation of Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld - and replacement by former CIA chief Robert Gates - has intensified speculation a change of policy may be imminent. Mr Gates is a member of the Iraq Survey Group.

Downing Street has said Mr Blair would ensure Mr Baker and his colleagues were "fully briefed on UK ideas" when he spoke to them but would not reveal what he would tell them in advance.

Mr Hague called for an open debate on the future strategy options as part of discussions of the Queen's Speech, beginning in the Commons on Wednesday.

http://icharrow.icnetwork.co.uk/news/tm_headline=hague-issues-warning-over-iraq&method=full&objectid=18084695&siteid=106484-name_page.html

Well it's refreshin g to know that the dems have Iraq under control one week after elections- [Sarcasm] I'm sure we're goign to be seeing all kinds of 'positive reports' on the war in Iraq from the MSM now. I read a letter from a commander in Iraq & he did indicate htough that the war could have been prectically wrapped up in Iraq had they had a couple hundred more soldiers. He did say that he didn't beleive the terrorists had 12,000 murderous soldiers though because he said there would be nowhere for them to run or hide- that the coalition pretty much has the region under survielence. I hope Bolton is able to get soemthign done though- He's a good man- his last statement abotu the resolution against Israel was biased and predjudiced against Israel- He stood up for right when hardly anyone else would.

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